Institute Indigenous Peoples Day in our Compassionate City!

Columbus Day is a national holiday that glorifies a man who committed horrific atrocities against the first Americans, Indigenous People. Many cities across the nation have replaced this national holiday with Indigenous Peoples Day, a celebration of indigenous resilience past and present.

As a Compassionate City, Louisville holds a unique position to uplift the many historical and current contributions of indigenous people and stop glorifying the horrific human rights violations of Columbus, which include but are not limited to initiating the transatlantic slave trade and committing genocidal acts against indigenous people.

We ask Mayor Fischer to pass the following resolution:

"RESOLUTION TO INSTITUTE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY

WHEREAS, Christopher Columbus, a man who is known to have “discovered” the Americas, came upon land that was already inhabited by Indigenous Peoples and committed heinous violations of human rights, including but not limited to initiating the transatlantic slave trade and committing genocidal acts against indigenous people; and

WHEREAS, Indigenous Peoples Day was first proposed in 1977 by a delegation of Native Nations to the United Nations at the International Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas; and

WHEREAS, a growing number of cities now recognize the second Monday of October as “Indigenous Peoples Day” in lieu of Columbus Day to uplift and celebrate indigenous resiliency, historical and contemporary; and

WHEREAS, the City of Louisville is built upon lands first inhabited by Indigenous Peoples of this region; and

WHEREAS, the City of Louisville has declared itself to be a Compassionate City; and

WHEREAS, the City of Louisville has the opportunity, means, and obligation to create a truly compassionate community that honors and respects our diverse history and honors the contributions of indigenous people past and present; and

WHEREAS, this day should be recognized for the original inhabitants of the Americas, Indigenous Peoples; and

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Greg Fischer, Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky, do hereby declare the second Monday of October to be Indigenous Peoples Day

AND strongly encourage community members, schools, businesses, public and private institutions, and organizations to join communities across America in recognizing, supporting, and celebrating Indigenous Peoples past and present."